Martin O'Neill takes full blame after Celtic's Champions League exit

Amid the open-air bedlam at the Raiffeisen Arena, there was nowhere to hide for Celtic after enduring one of the darkest nights in their European history. Following their penalty shootout exit to Kairat Almaty at the same stage last year, this latest capitulation added profound misery. Having held a four-goal aggregate lead against LASK, Celtic somehow imploded during the second half and extra time, sliding to a 5-4 aggregate defeat.

Speaking to the media after the final whistle, Celtic manager Martin O'Neill was remarkably frank. He drew comparisons to the 2003 UEFA Cup final defeat, noting that while that was a final they would have loved to win, this was a qualifying tie they simply should have navigated successfully.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

"We got what we deserved. We were passive all night. We looked scared to go and win the game."

Callum McGregor, Celtic captain

Celtic captain Callum McGregor admitted to Amazon Prime that the team were passive and appeared scared to win, offering a full apology to the supporters and the club. Meanwhile, former players and managers including Scott Brown, Neil Lennon, and Stiliyan Petrov pointed out that LASK outran and physically dominated Celtic throughout the contest.

Source: BBC Sport